1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to card connectors for connecting a removable card to a circuit board and, more particularly, to a card connector for holding a removable card for a mobile device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a card connector is disclosed in, for example, Japanese patent application Kokai Nos. 59-149576 (JP""576) and 11-135192 (JP""192).
The connector of JP""576 comprises a sliding ejector member that abuts on an inserted card, a spring for biasing the ejector member in a card removing direction, a rotation support for locking the ejector member at a card insertion position, and an ejector lever for releasing the lock of the ejector member. To mount a card, the card is pushed into the insertion opening to lock the ejector member with the rotation support. To remove the card, the ejector lever is depressed to move the rotation support for release of the lock of the ejector member so that the spring pushes out the card.
The connector of JP""192 comprises a body, a slider that is pushed into the body along with a card, a spring member provided between the body and the slider, and a cam mechanism consisting of a cam member and a pin member. The cam mechanism locks and unlocks the slider. Both of insertion and removal of a card is made by pushing the card or xe2x80x9cpush-push operationxe2x80x9d.
In the above connectors, however, the card insertion/removal mechanism, especially, the ejector member and/or the slider lock/unlock mechanism, is too complicated and too large in the number of components to provide a compact and inexpensive connector. In addition, the insertion/removal of a card is difficult because the card insertion/removal face of a mobile device is small.
In the push-push type connector of JP""192, the end of a card projects from the mobile device so that not only the card can be damaged or fall when the mobile device is dropped but also the design choices are limited. Moreover, a space necessary for the push-push operation requires a wide body of the device. The length of sliding contact between the card contact point and the connector contact point becomes so large that the life of the contacts is shortened.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a card connector capable of reducing the number of components, simplifying the mechanism, reducing the manufacturing cost, and making the device compact.
According to the invention there is provided a card connector for electrically connecting a removable card to a circuit board, comprising a case for supporting the removable card; a slider provided within the case for sliding along with the removable card in a card insertion/removal direction; a spring member for biasing the slider in a card removing direction; a lock member for locking the slider to the case when the removable card is inserted into the case; a release member operable from a major face of the case for releasing the slider from the case.
It is preferred that the case comprises a case body of an insulative material; a plurality of terminals provided on the case body; a metal cover provided over the case body; and at least one fixing means for fixing the case to the circuit board. Also, the lock means may comprise a stopper arm cantilevered to a major face of the metal cover so as to be flexible for engagement with the slider. The release means comprises a release lever rotatable about a fulcrum to lift the stopper arm for releasing the slider from the case. Furthermore, the card connector may comprise a regulation means for regulating rotation of the release lever to thereby regulate movement of the stopper arm.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a card connector for electrically connecting a removable card to a circuit board, comprising a case for accommodating the removable card; a slider provided within the case for sliding in a card insertion/removal direction; a spring member for biasing the slider in a card removing direction; a card retention arm cantilevered on the slider in the card insertion/removal direction and having an inward projection; a raised portion provided on the case so as to abut on an outer face of the card retention arm so that when a removable card with a notch provided on a side thereof is inserted into the case, the inward projection engages the notch and when the removable card is further inserted, the inward projection restricts outward movement of the card retention arm.
It is preferred that the card retention arm comprises a downward projection and the raised portion has an inclined face with a rising gradient in a card insertion direction so that when a removable card with no notch provided on a side thereof is inserted into the case, the downward projection slides on the inclined face to lift the card retention arm while the card retention arm is flexed outwardly. Also, the card retention arm may have an engaging portion so that when a removable card with no notch on a side thereof is inserted into the case, the card retention arm is flexed outwardly and the engaging portion engages the raised portion. Furthermore, the slider comprises a card abutment for abutment with a front end of the removable card and a guide section for sliding on the case in the card insertion/removal direction. Moreover, the card abutment may comprise at least one support wall, the case has at least one raised portion for guiding the support wall so that if the removable card is inserted in a wrong direction, the raised portion blocks the slider, thereby preventing completion of such insertion.
According to still another aspect of the invention there is provided a card connector for electrically connecting a removable card to a circuit board, comprising a case for accommodating the removable card; a slider provided within the case for sliding along with the removable card in a card insertion/removal direction; a spring member for biasing the slider in a removing direction; a card retention arm cantilevered to the slider in the card insertion/removal direction and having an inward projection and a downward projection at a front end thereof; an elongated groove provided in the case in the card insertion/removal direction so that when a removable card with a notch provided on a side thereof is inserted into the case, the inward projection engages the notch and the downward projection slides on the case and then engages the elongated groove to prevent the card retention arm from reflecting outwardly whereas when a removable card with no notch is inserted into the case, the card retention arm is flexed outwardly and the downward projection slides on the case outside the elongated groove.
When the removable card is inserted into the case, the lock member engages the slider to lock the removable card in the case. The operation of the lock release member releases the slider from the lock member for removal of the removable card.